Don’t turn a blind eye to habitat for people

“Mind the Gap. Leave No One and Place Behind”, the theme of the 2022 World Habitat Day aims to lessen inequality and challenges in cities and human settlements as part of solving the problems in society.
COVID-19, climate and conflict are of great importance in drawing attention to the increasing numbers of inequalities and vulnerabilities based on discrimination. According to the UN-Habitat’s World Cities Report, the number of people affected was between 119 and 124 million in 2020, and between 143 and 163 million in 2021.
Habitat is the residence of living beings. As such, all living beings need to share a habitat for their settlement. In Myanmar nature, food, clothing and shelter are crucial for daily life. The word shelter which can be identified as residence or habitat is very important. Only when they are able to secure the habitat will they be assured of living standards.
The United Nations has designated the first Monday of October of every year as World Habitat Day since 1985 recognizing the importance of living beings, especially humans. It is because the lives of homeless persons are overcoming bitter challenges in their lives based on poverty. Hence, it is necessary to eradicate poverty both in rural and rural areas in order to uplift the lives of the people.
In this regard, the relevant authorities should not turn a blind to the poverty of homeless people. Some of the homeless temporarily reside in the areas of the squatter. Hence, it is necessary to resettle the needy people in the appropriate areas for giving them a chance to build their lives so that their families can be assured for new generations.
The Covid-19 pandemic and various conflicts, especially armed conflicts have reversed years of progress made in the fight against poverty in the nation, resulting in the emergence of newly poor people. As poverty is a key factor in the habitat of the people, it is necessary to seek the best way for providing proper habitats to the people as much as possible.
This World Habitat Day will focus on promoting all levels of government and all relevant stakeholders to reflect on how to implement concrete initiatives to ensure adequate and affordable housing for the needy persons as well as retired and in-service personnel and those from various strata, as part of securing the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations.